EAST LANSING — Anne and Rob Minard, who were key staffers for former Michigan House Speaker Lee Chatfield when he led House Republicans in 2019 and 2020, were back in court Thursday as state attorneys begin to lay out their case alleging the couple misappropriated funds tied to social welfare nonprofits and political campaign committees.
The Minards face multiple felony charges including embezzlement, conducting a criminal enterprise and intent to defraud under false pretenses. At a December news conference announcing the charges, Attorney General Dana Nessel said the couple illegally enriched themselves, allegedly obtaining at least $525,000 illicitly from 2018 through 2020. Nessel’s office is prosecuting the case, which is in Ingham County’s 54B District Court in East Lansing.
Prosecutors say Anne and Rob Minard orchestrated a scheme to enrich themselves through inflated reimbursement requests and misrepresented expenses…